The people of Ancient Israel established a national identity and a religious tradition that have transcended time. Naturally, how these people expressed that identity and tradition evolved through time. Nonetheless, we can honestly speak of Judaic civilizations that now stretch back over 3,000 years. Our study of Ancient Israel examines the intellectual (what they thought) and material (what they created) world of the people who laid the foundations for Judaic civilizations in all their diversity. An understanding of this period in Judaic civilization is critical for understanding Jewish history and religion as well as the origins of Christianity.